Well, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE)
lists these men among many others as famous Freemasons through the ages. UGLE
describes organised Freemasonry as beginning with the founding of the first
Grand lodge on June 24, 1717 at the Good and Gridiron Ale House in St Paul’s
churchyard.

In Malawi, the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and
Accepted Masons of Scotland website lists Lodge Nyasa based in Namiwawa as
being established on August 6, 1903. We
can also reveal that the Worshipful Master (WM) for the St George Lodge
(one of the six Masonic Lodges in the country) in 2013 was George Nnensa.

George Nnensa current Worshipful Master for the St George Lodge

As for the origins of Freemasonry, globally,
there is general agreement amongst historians and researchers that Freemasonry
developed either directly or indirectly from the medieval stonemasons otherwise
known as Operative Masons who built the great cathedrals and castles.

Those who favour the theory, say there were
three stages to the evolution of Freemasonry including the stonemasons who
gathered in huts or Lodges to rest and eat. These Lodges gradually became
meetings for stonemasons to regulate their craft and eventually, and in common
with other trades, developed primitive initiation ceremonies for new
apprentices.

“As stonemasons were accustomed to travelling
all over the country and as there were no trade union cards or certificates of
apprenticeship, they began to adopt a private word which they could use when
arriving at a new site to prove they were properly skilled and had been a
member of a hut or Lodge.

“It was, after all, easier to communicate a
secret word to prove who you were and that you were entitled to your wages,
than it was to spend hours carving a block of stone to demonstrate your
skills. It is known that in the early 1600s these operative Lodges began
to admit non-stonemasons.

“They were Accepted or Gentlemen Masons.
Why and what form the ceremony took is unknown. As the 1600s drew to a close,
more gentlemen joined the Lodges, gradually taking them over and turning them
into Lodges of free and accepted, or speculative Masons,” states a theory
posted on the UGLE website and based on information from Scotland where there
is said to be ample evidence of Scottish operative Lodges.

A more recent theory places the origin of
Freemasonry within a charitable framework. In the 1600s there was no
welfare state, so anyone falling ill or becoming disabled had to rely on
friends and the Poor Law for support. In those days many trades had what have
become known as box clubs.

“…….From surviving evidence these box clubs are
known to have begun to admit members not belonging to their trade and to have
had many traits of early Masonic Lodges. They met in taverns, had simple
initiation ceremonies and passwords and practiced charity on a local
scale. It is possible that Freemasonry had its origins in just such a box
club for operative Masons.”

Malawian Freemasons

Whatever the myths or theories, it’s a fact that
Freemasonry has existed in Malawi for more than 100 years.

George Nnensa, as the Worshipful Master for the
St George Lodge, is in charge of the Lodge during his one year tenure of office
and acts as its chairman. The next position is the Immediate Past Master
followed by the Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Chaplain, Treasurer, Secretary
and Director of Ceremonies among others.

Lodge officers include a chaplain who leads
members in prayer before and after meetings. Others are the steward, Inner
Guard, Almoner, Organist, Charity Steward and Junior and Senior Deacons.

“The Master is elected by the Lodge members
every year and is then installed into his office. He is usually Master
for one year and normally conducts ceremonies in the Lodge. Being elected
and installed as Master is the highest honour a Lodge can bestow on any of its
members,” explains the tall and charming Nnensa.

According to him, the dress code is a dark
lounge suit, an appropriate tie, a white shirt, white gloves and black
shoes. Aprons involve the Three Degrees in Freemasonry and are attached
round the waist of the wearer.

But what exactly is Freemasonry? With a
smile, George describes Masonry as consisting of a body of men brought together
for the “sake of mutual intellectual, social and moral improvement.”

“Masonry recognizes no distinction of religion
and emphasizes the duties of citizenship. Religious or political
discussion is not permitted in Lodge meetings. Masonry offers no monetary
advantages and supports a wide range of charities, both Masonic and
non-Masonic,” he says.

Other reasons some men are said to enjoy
Freemasonry is a sense of Brotherhood where they are said to make new friends
and acquaintances from all walks of life, every background and age group.

Nnensa also lists charity where they can
contribute to deserving causes and education and knowledge as being attractors
to the body as they “learn from peers and mentors and find out about the
history and mysteries of Freemasonry.”

George emphasizes that there is nothing sinister
about Freemasonry and he says he enjoys the company of his friends in the
brotherhood as they always care for each other.

He says on Open Days, their wives and friends
are allowed to visit the Lodge and ask questions if they desire. The
Lodge in Malawi has members from all walks of life and mostly reputable
gentlemen.

These days Freemasons are usually mentioned in
religious circles in Malawi with some accusing them off all sorts of bad things
ranging from Satanism to being blood-sucking vampires.

Most of their accusers are said to be women and
children although Freemasonry has existed in Malawi since 1903 without any
documented incident or complaint.

It is said to be an association with secrets but
not a secret society. It’s also believed to have some similarities with
secretive African groupings (e.g. Gule Wamkulu) only for
men but not labeled satanic.

Malawi has only six lodges compared to Nigeria
with 43, South Africa 75 and Zimbabwe 14 internet sources show and none of them
are registered as satanic churches.

According to http://www.grandlodgescotland.com, the Grand Superintendent and overseer of
Scottish Malawi Lodges is “Brother Gordon Sheppard”. Four local Scottish
lodges are listed mainly Nyasa, David Livingstone and Viphya in Blantyre and
Angoni in Lilongwe.

Masons are globally known for their charity work
and in Malawi, among other things, they rebuilt classrooms at Lusako Primary
school which was damaged during the 2009 earthquake in Karonga.

At the time, Sheppard granted the media an
interview, he said Freemasonry traces its history to 500 years ago and started
in Scotland. He also said the Freemasons follow a code of practice in life
which starts with "a firm belief in Almighty God".

There are over 330,000
Freemasons in England and Wales with nearly six million worldwide. In Malawi,
there are about 200 Freemasons. There are also nearly 8000 Lodges spread
throughout England and Wales. -

13 comments:

What is " Illuminati"? Please explain to me as a fellow African because real Africans know some of the symbols they use are from secret societies in ancient Kemet (Egypt) and within Africa.

As a journalist I've discovered Freemasons throughout the world to be already well-established because there is no short-cut to wealth but blessings from God and hard work. Witch-doctors who claim they have herbs to make people rich are liars and as long as us Africans continue believing such nonsense we will remain poor forever unlike our ancestors who were wise.

I rebuke all witch-doctors online and those nyanga (goat horn) people who promise short-cuts to wealth because their source satan is a liar.

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Shame to all fake Africans who insult the ancient history and symbols of Africa, they are a disgrace to the continent and keeping us backwards with their nyanga ways of instilling fear in people. It's not a crime to be rich and God can bless people just like he did our ancestors including the great ancient kings of Africa who had treasures like gold.

Shame on those who want short-cuts to wealth and all nyanga people will fall just like their father satan.

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This is my last warning to you COWARD who can't show your face.....GET OFF MY BLOG and post rubbish on yours. Shame on you!!!! GET OFF this blog, I don't need your rubbish here, you hear me? If you don't stop I will come after you.

And stop disgracing us Malawians by displaying your ignorance on my blog...it's only you a Malawian wasting your time here but let me warn you that although I am a woman I will not be intimidated by you because you're doing all this to scare people off my blog.

There are many so-called Masonic websites and Facebok pages globally but no one posts stuff like this the way you've been doing for some time.

It's only you as a fellow Malawian being envious of a woman and cyber-bullying me. This is my last warning, you hear? Stop being jealous and GET OFF THIS BLOG.

Hi Bic Witz, who has secrecy, the Freemasons or the sacred Gule Wamkulu also mentioned in the article?

I doubt all Malawians know about the Nyau just like I doubt all Malawians know what happens in our various initiation ceremonies in the country because they're secretive.

Boys are not initiated together with girls and ancient Malawi priesthoods as those responsible for nsembe at the rain shrines had secret rites of passage hence their code was shshsh sunga chinsinsi and the winged spirit of Chinsinsi Sungamwana etc.

interesting article Agnes. Although with certain things to do with societies its easy to be cynical, your article is believable. Koma i nthe end, we'll never truly know unless we enter that world, and advance to the highest echelons of the order. Just like with the various religions including Christianity...Thanks

Thanks and I think the issues is me as a black woman being able to approach anyone as a journalist and report with permission.

I don't understand why some Malawi men can't approach the Freemasons themselves and ask questions instead of trying to intimidate me as a woman.

One would think a man can ask a fellow man but alas!

From what I've gathered some of our Malawi men who send me SMS messages till this day because of this article can't afford membership fees or be able to chat with the azungu I also interviewed, thanks.